The very announcement that the often troubled South American nation of Colombia was awarded the honor of hosting the FIFA U20 World Cup was major news here as this is the first major international tournament of its type to be held in various locales around the country.
For Colombians, this is a chance to turn the page on unpleasantries and show Colombia for what it is, a country of countless touristic attractions and overwhelmingly friendly people, and to move beyond the bloodstained image that football in Colombia has on an international level. The Colombian Government and national footballing body are keen to ensure that this event is the best ever held and that Colombia the nation comes out the winner as an improved and diverse tourist destination.
How Colombia Won the Bid to Host the U20 World Cup
You probably were not aware that Colombia placed a bid to rival that of Brazil to host the World Cup Finals in 2014, but this was no more than a well delivered power play to ensure that FIFA were aware that the Andean nation had the cities and infrastructure to host an international event. And in reality, outside of Brazil, Colombia is the only country in South America with the capacity to host a geographically diverse and expansive tournament without too much trouble. The simple fact is that the transport links and the stadia exist.
Which Are the Host Cities?
It’s a nice mix actually, with only a couple of notable absentees, such as Cucuta and Bucaramanga but visitors and visiting teams to Colombia will be pleasantly surprised by the accommodating climes of Armenia, Manizales, Medellin and Pereira all dotted around the Coffee Region. Not so easy to play in are perhaps the sweltering Caribbean cities of Barranquilla (where the inaugural event and the final are to be held) and Cartagena and then obviously there will be games in the capital Bogota and the city of Cali in the south of the country.
Colombia’s Tarnished Football Past
Football in Colombia will be long-tarred with the terrible and stomach-turning assassination in Medellin of Andres Escobar, the former captain of the national team that failed in the World Cup in USA and perhaps will never recover from the excesses of money laundering in the 1980s and 1990s that took local sides into new strata. One also feels that the Colombian national side has suffered profoundly from these events and this has led for BBC South American football correspondent Tim Vickery to state that these removed the “joy” that was previously inherent in Colombia’s play. Hopefully this tournament can go some way to improving the situation.
What to Expect at the U20 World Cup
This will be an unforgettable tournament as Colombians will be strongly behind their side and the international visitors that come to support their teams will add vibrant color. Colombians need to reason to enjoy a party and each game will feel as distinct as a Carnival in each respective city.
Where to Get Tickets?
Tickets are available online at TuBoleta and at various music stores.
Richard McColl - I am a freelance writer from deepest darkest London but for the past 10 years or so I have been maintaining my extended "writing break" in ...
